Falafel Sandwich with Homemade Pita and Garlic Aioli Recipe

Measure and prep all ingredients.

Make the pita dough. In a bowl, combine the active dry yeast, sugar and water. Mix until combined. Cover and let sit for 15 minutes. 

Add the all-purpose flour, salt and oil to the bowl. Mix well until a shaggy dough forms.

Lightly flour a clean surface and place the dough on the flour. Knead for 5 minutes until the dough comes together. Place a clean towel on top and let the dough sit for 10 minutes. 

After 10 minutes, start kneading the dough until a smooth, semi-moist dough has formed. If the dough is too dry, slather your hands with oil and knead the dough for 15 minutes. The dough should be smooth. Lightly oil a bowl and place the dough inside. Add more oil on top and cover with the kitchen towel. Let sit in a warm space for 1½ hours or until doubled in size. 

Form and bake the pitas. After 1½ hours, punch down the dough and place it on a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into 6-7 balls and roll until smooth. Cover the dough balls with a kitchen towel and let sit for 10 minutes. 

While the dough is resting, preheat the oven to 450°F and place a large baking sheet in the oven. If you have a cast iron pan or sheet, use that instead. With a rolling pin, roll each dough ball into 7-8 inch round discs. 

Place the discs on the hot baking sheet and bake in the oven for 3-4 minutes. Flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes until puffy and soft. Cover the pitas with a kitchen towel until ready to use. 

Make the falafel. Roughly chop the onion, cilantro, parsley and garlic. Transfer the roughly chopped onion, cilantro, parsley and garlic into a food processor along with the chickpeas and pulse until a coarse and crumbly mixture forms.

Add the coriander, cumin, chili powder, salt and water to the food processor. Pulse until a moist mixture has formed. 

Take a clump of the chickpea mixture and form a ball. If it falls apart, add one teaspoon of chickpea flour at a time and pulse until the ball doesn't fall apart. Do not add too much chickpea flour as it will result in a gummy falafel. Once your mix is done, transfer it to a bowl and cover. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours. 

After 1-2 hours, remove the falafel mixture. In a large pot, add the oil and heat it to 350°F. Place the sesame seeds in a bowl or plate. With an ice cream scoop or a tablespoon, form golf sized falafel balls. Once the balls are formed, roll the balls into the sesame seeds until all sides are covered. 

Fry the sesame covered falafels in the oil for 5-6 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on a paper towel lined plate.

Prepare the garlic sauce. In the bowl of a food processor, add the peeled garlic and process until chopped. As it is processing, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until very smooth and the mixture has emulsified. Season with salt. 

Assemble the pita sandwich. Slice the pita down the center leaving 1-inch of the bottom intact. Add a spoon of the garlic aioli, three to four falafels, your favorite vegetables and pickles, more garlic sauce and serve. Enjoy!